Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

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jcsbarber
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Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

Post by jcsbarber »

Hello,

My trial version of Office 2007 expired, leaving me with hundreds of un-editable, un-saveable Word docs. Is there a quick and easy way to convert my Word doc cache to OpenOffice docs? Btw, I see that there are similar topics posted, but, in reviewing them, it was still unclear as to how I might go about this conversion. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance, Jcsbarber
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Hagar Delest
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Re: Converting Word docs to OpenOffice

Post by Hagar Delest »

Hi and welcome to the forum!

File>Wizards>Document converter.

Thanks to add '[Solved]' at beginning of your first post title (edit button) if your issue has been fixed.
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Newbie123
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Re: Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

Post by Newbie123 »

But I don't want to convert every document in my C directory, just one file.
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Hagar Delest
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Re: Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

Post by Hagar Delest »

Newbie123 wrote:But I don't want to convert every document in my C directory, just one file.
Then open it and save it under the right format!
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vasa1
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Re: Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

Post by vasa1 »

Newbie123 wrote:But I don't want to convert every document in my C directory, just one file.
Then just open the file and "save as" if you want to retain the original. While "saving as", use the OpenOffice suggested format (.odt) if you want to work further in OpenOffice.
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Newbie123
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Re: Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

Post by Newbie123 »

Thanks, but "saving as" .odt removes headers and footers. Just as well I made a copy to "save as" .odt.
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RoryOF
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Re: Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

Post by RoryOF »

Unless you have a unique Header and/or Footer on every page it is a relatively simple task to recreate these. Typically one might have the volume title as Header on a Left page, and a Chapter Heading as Header on a Right page. Very simple to do using the styles of OpenOffice.
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Newbie123
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Re: Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

Post by Newbie123 »

I wish. I find OOo hard to work with when it comes to headers, footers and page numbering. My headers are different for odd and even pages and only need to appear in one section.

It's possible something happened to the download I have so I'm reinstalling it. Apart from the ease of make pdf files, it has the Drop Cap function I need. If Word had those two things, I'd still be using it.
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RoryOF
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Re: Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

Post by RoryOF »

The header/footer facilities in OpenOffice are so powerful they can easily confuse the newcomer. Do your heaters and/or footers image a line of text on a page?
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Newbie123
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Re: Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

Post by Newbie123 »

Ive managed to do headers in OOo. I have also installed page numbers on another document using OOo. But that, too, stopped working after 199 and reverted to 20 for each leff-hand-page after that, for 250 pages.

Not as easy as Word to do but, when I manage it, why do the page numbers not continue to the end of the document. That's the problem I need an answer for.
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RoryOF
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Re: Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

Post by RoryOF »

I've just made a trial OpenOffice file with 977 pages. One of the problems you are having is because your file originated in MS Office. It carries forward peculiarities. The best course you can take is to open a new Writer file in OpenOffice, open the former doc file, then Ctrl A, Ctrl C, switch to the new file and Ctrl V. This method of making a new file often loses the peculiarities.

Or you could bite the bullet and just pay Microsoft the money.
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Newbie123
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Re: Converting MS Word docs to OpenOffice.org

Post by Newbie123 »

Gack! Pay Miscrosoft?

I'll try opening a new document in OOo and transfer the file in.
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